The Wakefield 2023 production
The Annunciation
The Salutation
The Second Shepherds’ Play
Finis
God
Pickharness (Cain’s boy)
Cain
Abel
God
Gabriel
Mary
Mary
Elizabeth
Coll (1st Shepherd)
Gib (2nd Shepherd)
Daw (3rd Shepherd)
Mak
Gill
Angel20
Mary
Joseph (non-speaking)
The Killing of AbelContents
I am mightful God veray, maker of all that is,1
three persons withouten nay, one God in endless bliss,
that made both night and day, beast, fowl and fish.
Then man and woman wrought I at my wish
as I well might.
duke, emperor and king, with mine own hand,
to have their liking by sea and by sand,
every man to my bidding should be bound
full fervent,
that made man such a creature,
fairest of favour.12
Man must love me, paramour,
by reason, and repent.
all angels above, like to the Trinity;
and now in great reproof full low lies he,
in earth to stuff himself with sin, that displeases me
most of all.
All hail, all hail, both blithe and glad,20
for here come I, a merry lad!
Cease your din, my master bade,
or else the devil you speed,
varlets every one!
Full well ye all him ken,
for some of you are his men.26
If my master come, welcome him then.
Farewell, for I am gone!
Go forth, Greenhorn! Grim, draw on!29
Ye stand as ye were fallen in swoon!
God give you ill time!
Ware! Let me see how ye will draw.
Lo, now heard she what I said;
I say then, go fare!
Ah! God give thee sorrow and care!35
Now yet art thou the worst mare
in plough that ever I had.
God forbid that ever thou thrive!39
What, boy, shall I both hold and drive?40
See how they go, want of food is the cause.
Their fodder, sir, I lay behind their arse42
and tie them fast by the necks,
with many stones in their racks.
That shall buy thy false cheeks! Strikes him45
And have again as right! Strikes back46
I am thy master. Wilt thou fight?47
Yea, with the same measure and weight48
that I borrow will I quite.
Enter Abel
God, as he both may and can,50
speed thee, brother, and thy man.
Ho now! Come kiss mine arse!52
Thy welcome is the worse.
Go grease thy sheep under the tout,
for that is thee most lief.
Brother, there is none here about56
that would thee any grief.
It is the custom of our law
all that do as the wise
shall worship God with sacrifice.
Come forth, brother, and let us gang
to worship God; we dwell too long.
Give we him part of our fee,64
corn or cattle whether it be.
Should I leave my plough and all thing66
and go with thee to make offering?
Nay, thou finds me not so mad!
Go to the devil, and say I said!
Cain, leave this vain carping,70
for God gives thee all thy living.
Yet borrowed I never a farthing72
of him - here’s my hand!
Whereof should I tithe, dear brother,
for I am each year worse than other?
Here my troth, it is none other.
Whereof then should I lend?
Dear brother, say not so,78
but let us forth together go.
Yea, yea, thou jangles waste!80
The devil me speed if I have haste,
as long as I live,
to deal my good or give,
either to God or yet to man,
of any good that ever I won.
For had I given away my good,86
then might I go with riven hood;
and it is better to hold what I have
than go from door to door and crave.
Brother, come forth, in God’s name;90
I am full feared that we get blame.
Yea, man, I hold thee mad!92
Weens thou that I should gad
to offer of my goods ought?
The devil him speed that me so taught!
What need had I my travail to lose,
to wear my shoes and rive my hose?
But well I see go must I need.98
Now wend before - ill might thou speed.
Dear brother, it were great wonder100
that thou and I should go asunder,
but go we forth both together.
Blessed be God, we have fair weather.
They go to the site of sacrifice
Lay down thy trussel upon this hill.104
Forsooth brother, so I will.105
God of heaven take it to good.
Thou shall tithe first, since that thou would.107
God that shaped both earth and heaven,108
I pray to thee thou hear my steven,
and take in thank, if thy will be,
the tithe that I offer here to thee,
for I give it in good intent
to thee, my Lord, that all has sent.
I burn it now with steadfast thought,114
in worship of him that all has wrought.
Rise! Let me now, since thou has done,116
since I must need, my tithe to burn,.
One sheaf, one, and this makes two -
but neither of these may I forgo.
Two, two now this is three -
yea, this also shall stay with me.
Four sheaves, four, lo, this makes five.122
Five and six, now this is seven -
but this gets never the God of heaven,
nor none of these four, at my might,
shall never come in God’s sight.
Seven, seven, now this is eight -
Cain, thou tithes not as thou ought.128
Weh lo! wilt thou that I wink?129
Then shall I do no wrong, me think.
Finishes counting with his eyes closed
Let me see now how it is:
Opens his eyes
Lo, yet I hold me payed!
I tithed wonder well by guess,
and so even I laid.
Cain, of God me think thou has no dread.135
Now, and he get more, the devil me speed.136
The devil hang thee by the neck!
How that I tithe never thou reck.
Of this jangling I bid thee cease.
But now, since thou has tendered thine,
now will I set fire on mine.
Weh! out! harroo! Help to blow!142
It will not burn for me, I trow.
Puff! this smoke does me much shame!
Now, burn, in the devil’s name!
Cain, this is not worth one leek.146
Thy tithe should burn without smoke.
Come kiss the devil right in the arse!148
For thee it burns but the worse.
I would that it were in thy throat,
fire and sheaf and every sprout.
Cain, why art thou so rebel152
against thy brother Abel?
Needest thou never fight nor chide.
If thou tithe right, thou gets thy meed;
and be thou sure, if thou tithe false,
thou shall be quit then somewhat else.
Why, who is that hob-over-the-wall?158
Weh! who was that that piped so small?
Come, go we hence, for perils all;
God is out of his wit!
Come forth, Abel, and let us wend.
Me think that God is not my friend;
on land then will I flit.164
Ah, Cain, brother, that is ill done.165
No, but go we hence soon,166
and, if I may, I shall be
where God will not me see.
Dear brother, I will fare169
on field where our beasts are,
to look if they be empty or full.
Nay, nay, abide! We have a crow to pull.172
Hark, speak with me ere thou go!
What, weens thou to escape so?
Brother, why art thou so to me in ire?175
Weh! thief, why burned thy tithe so sheer,176
where mine did but smoke,
right as it would us both have choked?
God’s will I trow it were179
that mine burned so clear.
If thine smoked, am I to blame?
Weh! yea! thou shall repay the shame.182
With cheek-bone, ere I go again,
thou and thy life shall part in twain.
Strikes Abel down with an ass’s jaw-bone
So, lie down there and take thy rest:
thus shall shrews be chastised best.
Vengeance, vengeance, Lord, I cry!187
For I am slain and not guilty.
Yea, lie there, old shrew, lie there, lie!189
But now, since he is fallen asleep,
into some hole fain would I creep.
For fear I quake, here at my need,
for if I be taken, I be but dead.
Cain, Cain!194
Who is that that calls me?195
I am yonder, may thou not see?
Cain, where is thy brother Abel?197
Why asks thou me? I trow at hell,198
at hell I trow he be -
whoso were there, then might he see -
or somewhere fallen on sleeping.
When was he in my keeping?
Cain, Cain, thou was mad.203
The voice of thy brother’s blood,
that thou has slain on false wise,
from earth to heaven vengeance cries.
And, for thou has brought thy brother down,
here I give thee my malison.
Since I have done so mickle sin209
that I may not thy mercy win,
and thou does me from thy grace,
I shall hide me from thy face,
and whereso any man may find me
he shall slay me, certainly.
For, may I from this place depart,215
by all men I set not a fart.
Nay, Cain, it is not so;217
I will that no man other slay,
for he that slays thee, young or old,
shall be punished sevenfold.
Yea, so! I know whither I shall:221
in hell, I trow, must be my stall.
But this corpse I would were hid.
Pickharness, my knave, will I bid.
Ho! Pickharness! Pickharness! ho!
Master, master!226
Hearest thou, boy? There is a pudding in the pot.227
Take thee that, boy, take thee that! Strikes him
Hark, boy, I have a counsell thee to say:
I slew my brother this same day.
I pray thee, good boy, if thou may,
to run away with the bones.
Has thou thy brother slain?233
Peace, man, for God’s pain!234
Yea, but for fear of grievance235
here I thee forsake;
we must have a mickle mischance
if the bailiffs us take.
Ah, sir, I cry you mercy! Cease,239
and I shall make you a release.
What, wilt thou cry my peace241
throughout this land?
Yea, that I give God a vow,243
but thou must be my good boy,
and cry ‘Oyez, oyez, oy’.
Peas, peas to thy boy!246
I command you, in the king’s name,247
And in my master’s, false Cain,248
that no man with them find fault nor blame.249
Yea, cold roast is at my master’s home.250
The king writes you until:251
Yet eat I never half my fill.252
The king will that they be safe.253
Yea, a draught of drink fain would I have.254
At their own will let them live.255
My stomach is ready to receive.256
Look no man say to them, one or other:257
This same is he that slew his brother.258
Bid every man them love and lowt.259
Yea, ill-spun weft aye comes foul out.260
Bid every man them please to pay.261
Yea, give Dun, thy horse, a wisp of hay!262
Weh! Come down, in twenty devils’ way!263
The devil I thee betake;
For, but it were Abel my brother,
yet knew I never thy like.
Now, old and young, ere that ye wend,267
the same blessing, withouten end,
that God of heaven my master has given
shall ye have, while that ye live.
Come down, yet, in the devil’s way,271
and anger me no more!
And wend thee forth fast before.
Exit Pickharness
and to the devil be thrall, world without end;
ordained there is my stall, with Satanas the fiend.
Ever ill might him befall that thither me commend
this tide.
Farewell less, and farewell more!
For now and evermore280
I will go me to hide.
Exit Cain
The AnnunciationContents
These five thousand years and more1
man has bought his sin full sore,
first in heaven then in hell.
But long therein shall he not dwell;
out of pain he shall be bought.
I will not harm what I have wrought;
Righteousness will we make:7
I will that my son manhood take.
Rise up, Gabriel, and wend
to a maiden that is hend,
to Nazareth in Galilee,
where she dwells in that city,
to that virgin and that spouse13
to a man of David’s house,
Joseph also named is he,
and the maiden’s name Mary.
On my behalf thou shall her greet;
I have her chosen, that maiden sweet;
she shall conceive my darling,19
she shall of her body bear
God and man without fear;
She shall be blessed without end.
Gabriel, hie thee and wend.
Hail, Mary gracious!24
Hail maiden, and God’s spouse!
To thee I bow.
Of all virgins thou art queen,
that ever were or shall be seen
I tell thee now.
My lord of heaven is with thee,
withouten end.
Hail, woman most blessed!
Goodly lady, have thou no dread,
that I commend.
The grace of God that was forgone
for Adam’s plight.
This is the grace that thee betides:
thou shalt conceive within thy sides
a child of might.
he shall take circumcision.
Jesus call him then.
And God’s son shall he be called,
His name be blessed over all
till his day come.
What is thy name?48
Gabriel,49
God’s strength and his angel,
that comes to thee.
Wondrous greeting now I hear!52
Thou tells that I a child should bear.
How shall this be?
But have avowed my maidenhead
from fleshly state.
Therefore I wot not how
that this be broken, as a vow
that I have made.
Lady this is the privity:61
The Holy Ghost shall light in thee,
and his virtue
thee shall o’ershadow and fulfil
that thy maidenhead shall never spill,
but ay be new.
shall God’s son be called by name;
and so, Mary,
Elizabeth, thy cousin, that was barren called,
she had conceived a son in eld of Zachary.
is unmightful to heaven’s king,
but all shall hold.
I love my lord all-wielding;75
be done to me in all thing
as thou has told.
Mary, maiden hend,78
me behoves to wend;
my leave of thee I take.
Fare to my friend,81
who thee did send
for mankind’s sake.
The SalutationContents
My lord of heaven, that sits on high,2
and all thing sees with eye,
thee save, Elizabeth.
Welcome, Mary, blessed bloom!5
Joyful am I that thou art come
to me from Nazareth.
How stands it with you, for thy part?8
Well, my daughter and dear heart,9
as can be for mine eld.
Full long I thought to speak with thee,11
for ye with child in eld be,
ye that were barren called.
Full long shall I the better be14
that I may speak my fill with thee,
my dear kinswoman;
to wit how thy friends fare,
in thy country where they are,
thereof tell me thou can,
Well, dame, gramercy your asking21
for good ye do enquire.
And Joachim, thy father, at home,23
and Anna, my niece and thy dame,
how stands it with him and her?
Dame, yet are they both alive,26
both Joachim and Anna his wife.
Else were my heart full sore.28
Dame, God that all may,29
yield you that you say,
and bless you therefore.
Blessed be thou of all women,32
and the fruit that well I ken
within the womb of thee;
and this time may I bless
that my Lord’s mother is
come thus unto me.
the sound of angel voice it smote
and rang now in mine ear;
a wondrous thing is me betide:
the child makes joy, as any bird,
that I in body bear.
that steadfastly would trow
the words of our heaven king;
therefore all thing shall now be kenned
that unto thee were said or sent
by the angel’s greeting.
Magnificat anima mea dominum:50
My soul loves my lord above,
and my ghost is glad with love
of God that is my heal,
for in me he did regard
the meekness of his handmaid,
and kept me maiden loyal.56
all nations on every side
blessed shall me call,
for he that is full of might
mickle thing to me has dight,
his name be blessed over all.
And his mercy is also63
from kind to kind, to all those
that are him dreading.
Might with his arms he wrought,
and destroyed in his thought
proud men and high bearing.
and he heightened in that stead
the meek men of heart.
The hungry with all good he filled,
and to the rich he left no yield
wherein to have their part.
his own son in his awe,
by means of his mercy,
as he told before by name
to our father Abraham,
and said of his body.
my leave of you I take here.
for I dwell now full long.
Will thou now go, God’s dear?84
Come kiss me, daughter, with good cheer,
ere thou hence go.
I pray thee, be of comfort good,
for thou art full of grace.
Greet well all our kin of blood.
That lord that thee with grace endued,
he save all in this place.
The Second Shepherds’ PlayContents
Lord, what these weathers are cold! And I am ill happed;
I am near dulled, so long have I napped;
my legs they fold, my fingers are chapped.
It is not as I would, for I am all lapped
in sorrow.
In storms and tempest,
now in the east, now in the west,7
woe is him that never has rest,
midday nor morrow!
in faith, we are nearly out of the door.
No wonder, as it stands, if we be poor,
for the tilth of our lands lies fallow as the floor,
as ye ken.
We are so hammed,
for-taxed and rammed16
with these gentry-men.
of this world for to talk in manner of moan.
To my sheep will I stalk, and harken anon,
there abide on a bank or sit on a stone,
full soon,
for I trow, pardee,
true men if they be,24
we get more company
ere it be noon.
Enter Second Shepherd
Bensté and Dominus, what may this mean?27
Why fares this world thus? Oft have we not seen.
Lord, these weathers are spiteful, and the winds full keen,
and the frosts so hideous they water mine een,
no lie!
Now in dry, now in wet,
now in snow now in sleet,33
when my shoes freeze to my feet,
it is not all easy.
God save thee now! Full deafly ye stand.36
Yea, the devil in thy maw, ye stay so long.37
Saw thou ought of Daw?
Yea, on a lee-land39
heard I him blow. He comes here at hand,
not far.
Stand still.
Why?43
For he comes, hope I.44
He will make us both a lie
But if we beware.
Enter Third Shepherd
Christ’s cross me speed and Saint Nicolas!47
Thereof had I need; it is worse than it was.
Whoso could take heed and let the world pass,
it is ever in dread, and brittle as glass
For ponder:
these floods, so they drown,
both in fields and in town,53
and bear all down,
and that is a wonder.
Christ’s curse, my knave, thou art a lazy hind!
Ill thrift thou shall find.
Thy gauds -
where are our sheep boy? - we scorn.
Sir, this same day at morn61
I them left in the corn,
when they rang Lauds.
That is right. By the rood, these nights are long!65
Yet I would, ere we go, one gave us a song.
So thought I as I stood, to mirth us among.67
I grant.68
Let me sing the tenory.69
And I the treble so high.70
Then the mean falls to me.71
Let see how ye chant. They sing
Enter Mak, a cloak over his tunic
Now Lord, for thy names seven, that made both earth and heaven,
well more than I can tell, I am all uneven;
for even or for odd, that moves oft my brains.
Now would God I were in heaven, for there weep no bairns
so still.
Who is that pipes so poor?78
Would God ye wist who I were!79
Lo, a man that walks on the moor,
and has not all his will.
Mak, where has thou gone? Tell us tiding.82
Is he come? Then each man take heed to his things.83
What? I am a yeoman, I tell you, of the king,84
the self and the same, sent from a great lord
on high.
Fie on you! Go hence
out of my presence!
I must have reverence.
Why, who am I?90
Mak, the devil in your eye! A stroke would I give you.
Mak, know ye not me? By God, I could grieve you!92
He pulls off Mak’s cloak
God look ye all three! Me thought I should find you!
Ye are a fair company.
Can ye now mind you?95
Take keep!96
Thus late as thou goes,
what will men suppose?
And thou has an ill noise of stealing of sheep.
And I am as true as steel, all men wot100
But a sickness I feel that holds me full hot:
my belly fares not well, it is out of estate.
Seldom lies the devil dead by the gate.103
Therefore full sore I am and ill,104
if I stand stone still.
I ate not a needle
this month and more.
How fares thy wife? By thy hood, how fares she?108
Lies waltering - by the Rood - by the fire, lo!109
And a house full of brood. She drinks well too.
Ill speed other good that she will do!
But she
eats as fast as she can,
and ilk year that comes to man
she brings forth a bairn, and some years two.115
I wot, so weary is none in this shire;116
I would sleep, if I took less to my hire.
I am cold and naked, and would have a fire.118
I am weary, for-racked, and run in the mire -119
Wake thou!
Nay, I will lie down by121
for I must sleep, truly.
As good a man’s son was I as any of you.123
But Mak, come hither! Between shall thou lie.
No dread.125
From my top to my toe,
Manus tuas commendo,
Poncio Pilato.
Christ’s cross me speed!
The Shepherds sleep. Mak rises
Now were time for a man that lacks what he would
to stalk privily then into a fold,131
and nimbly to work, and be not too bold,
for he might a-buy the bargain, if it were told
at the ending.
Now were time for to reel,
but he needs good counsel
that fain would fare well,137
and has but little spending.
Casts a spell on the sleeping shepherds
But about you a circle, as round as a moon,
till I have done that I will, till that it be noon,
that ye lie stone-still till that I have done.
And I shall say thereto of good words a few:
‘On height,143
over your heads my hand I lift.
Out go your eyes! Fordo your sight!’
But yet I must make better shift
and it be right.
Makes more spell-casting gestures
Was I never a shepherd, but now I will learn.
If the flock be scared, yet shall I nip near.
How! Draw hitherward! Now mends our cheer
from sorrow.
A fat sheep, I dare say,
a good fleece dare I lay.154
Repay when I may,
but this will I borrow.
Takes sheep and goes to his house
How Gill, art thou in? Get us some light.
Who makes such a din this time of the night?158
Good wife, open the lock! Sees thou not what I bring?
I may let thee draw the sneck. Ah, come in my sweeting!
By the naked neck thou art like for to hang!
Do way!162
I am worthy my meat,
for in a strait I can get
more than they that swink and sweat
all the long day.
It were a foul blot to be hanged for the case.168
I have escaped, good wife, oft as hard a place.169
‘But so long goes the pot to the water,’ men says,
‘at last comes it home broken.’
Well know I the token,172
but let it never be spoken!
Come, bar the door fast.
This twelvemonth were I not so fain of a sheep’s meat
Come they ere he be slain and hear the sheep bleat -
Then might I be taken. That were a cold sweat!178
Go spar the gate-door.
Yes, Mak, for if they come at thy back -180
Then might I buy, for all the pack,181
the devil of a care!
A good jape have I spied, since thou can none:183
Here shall we him hide till they be gone,
in my cradle. Abide! Let me alone,
and I shall lie beside in childbed and groan.
Well said!187
And I shall say thou was light
of a knave-child this night.
Now well is me the day bright190
that ever I was bred!
Yet a woman’s advice helps at the last.
If they rise ere I come, there blows a cold blast!194
I will go sleep.
Returns to the Shepherds
Yet sleeps all this company,
And I shall go stalk privily,
as it had never been I
that carried their sheep.
Lies down beside them
Resurrex a mortruus! Have hold of my hand.200
Judas carnas dominus! I may nor well stand.
My foot sleeps, by Jesus,202
I thought that we laid us full near England.
God save thee!204
Lord, what I have slept well!
As fresh as an eel,
as light I me feel
as leaf on a tree.
Now Christ’s holy name be us among!210
What’s this? For St James, I may not well gang!
I trow I be lame; my neck has lain wrong.
Ah, my head!
They pull him up
Mickle thank! Since yester-even,
now by Saint Stephen,
I was flayed by a dream;216
my heart out fled!
I pray you, look to my sleeve, that I steal nought;
I am loath you to grieve, or from you take ought.
Exit MAK
Go forth, ill might thou thrive! Now would I we sought
this morn,
that we had all our store.
But I will go before.224
Let us meet.
Where?226
At the crooked thorn.227
They leave in different directions
Undo this door! Who is here? How long shall I knock?
What end has thou made with the shepherds, Mak?229
The last word that they said when I turned my back,
they would look that they had their sheep, all the pack.
Pardee!
But how so the game goes,
to me they will suppose,
and make a foul noise,
and cry out upon me.236
Harken well when they call; they will come anon.237
Come and make ready all, and sing by thine own.
Sing ‘Lullay’ thou shall, for I must groan,
and cry out by the wall on Mary and John
for sore.
Sing ‘Lullay’ fast
when thou hears at the last,243
I shall play a false cast,
or trust me no more.
The Shepherds meet at the crooked thorn
Ah, Coll, good morn! Why sleeps thou not?246
Alas, that ever I was born! We have a foul blot -247
a fat wether have we lorn.
A foul mischief, God wot!249
Who should do us that scorn? That were a foul spot.
Mak and Gill,251
such works they do use.
We shall them accuse;
they shall make no excuse
that did that same ill.
Go we thither, I rede, and run on our feet.256
Shall I never eat bread the sooth till I wit.
Not drink in my head till I with him meet.258
I will rest in no stead till I him greet,259
my brother.
This I plight:
Till I see him in sight,
shall I never sleep one night
where I do another.
They go to Mak’s house; They hear Gill groaning and Mak singing
Will ye hear how they hack? Our sire list croon!265
Heard I never none crack so clear out of tune.266
Call on him.
Mak, undo your door soon!268
Who is that spake as it were noon aloft?269
Who is that, I say?
Good fellows, were it day.271
As far as ye may, good sirs, speak soft272
over a sick woman’s head that is at mis-ease;
I had rather be dead than she had any dis-ease.
Go to another stead! I may not well wheeze;275
each foot that ye tread goes through my nose
so high.
Tell us, Mak, if ye may:278
How fare ye, I say?
But are ye in town today?280
Now how fare ye?
I would ye dined ere ye go. Methink ye are wet.
Nay, neither mends our mood drink nor meat.283
Why, sir, ails you ought but good?284
Yea, our sheep till we get.285
They are stolen as they lay; our loss is great.
Sirs, drink!287
Had I been there,
some should have bought it full sore.
Pardee, som men trow that ye were,290
and so may we think.
Mak, some men trow that it should be ye.292
Either ye or your spouse, so say we.293
Now if ye suppose it be Gill or me,294
come ransack our house and then ye may see.
Ah, my middle!296
I pray to God so mild:
if ever I you beguiled,
that I eat this child
that lies in this cradle.
Peace, woman, for God’s pain, and cry not so!
Thou spills thy brain and makes me full woe.
I trow our sheep be slain. What find ye two?303
All work we in vain; as well may we go.304
Sir, done!305
Sir, our Lady him save -
To Mak
Is your child a knave?
Any lord might him have, this child, to his son.308
Mak, friends will we be, for we are all one.309
We? Nay, not for me, for amends get I none.310
Farewell all three! All glad were ye gone.
Fair words may there be, but love is there none312
this year.
The Shepherds leave
Gave ye the child anything?314
I trow, not one farthing.315
Fast again will I fling;316
abide ye me here. He runs back
Nay, thou does me great reproof, and foul has thou done.
The child will it not grieve, that little day star.
Mak, with your leave, let me give to your bairn
but sixpence
Nay, do way! He sleeps.323
Methinks he peeps.324
When he wakens, he weeps.325
I pray you go hence.
First and Second Shepherds return
Give me leave him to kiss, and lift up the clout.327
What the devil is this! He has a long snout!
He is marked amiss; we wait ill about.329
Ill-spun weft, iwis, aye comes foul out.330
He goes closer
Ay, so!
He is like to our sheep!
How, Gib, may I peep?333
Saw I never asleep a horned lad ere now!334
I know him by the ear-mark, that is a good token.335
I tell you sirs, hark: his nose was broken.336
I saw it myself; with an elf he was taken,337
when the clock struck twelve he was misshapen.
For this trespass339
we will neither fight nor beat,
think curse nor threat,
but have done with it straight,
and cast him in canvas.
They toss Mak in a blanket
Lord what I am sore, in point for to burst!344
In faith, I may no more, thereof will I rest.
As a sheep of seven score he weighed in my fist.346
For to sleep anywhere methink that I list.
Now I pray you lie down on this green.348
Yet I think on this thief.349
Whereto should ye grieve?350
Do as I say you.
They lie down and sleep. Angel sings ‘Gloria in excelsis’
Rise, herd-men kind, for now is he born352
that shall take from the fiend what Adam had lorn;
that warlock to bind, this night is he born.,
God is made your friend now at this morn.
At his behest,
to Bethlehem go see.
There lies that lord free, between two beasts.358
Say, what was his song? Heard ye not how he cracked it?
Three breves to a long.
Yea, truly, he hacked it.361
Was no crochet wrong, nor nothing that lacked it.
For to sing us among, right as he hacked it,363
I can.
Let see how ye croon!365
Can ye bark at the moon?
Hold your tongues! Have done!367
Hark after then:368
they desired to have seen this child that is born.
They are gone full clean; that have they lorn.
We shall see him, I ween, ere it be morn,
as a token.
When I see him and feel,
then wote I full well375
it is true as steel
that prophets have spoken.
first find, and declare by his messenger!
Go we now, let us fare; the place is us near.380
Speed forth, I declare; go we all there381
to that bright.
Lord, if thy will be -
we are simple all three -
thou grant us some glee
at that sight.
They go to Bethlehem
Hail, Duke, hail Knight!
Of great and small
Thou art Lord by right.
Hail perpetual;
Hail, fairest wight!
Hail sweeting,
Hail, so as I can.
Now at our meeting!
Hail, comely and clean! Hail young child!397
Hail, maker, as I mean, of a maiden so mild.
Thou hast vanquished, I ween, the warlock so wild.
The false guiler of men, now goes he beguiled.
Lo, he merries!
Lo, he laughs, my sweeting;
a full fair meeting!403
I give thee my greeting:
Have a bob of cherries.
Hail, sovereign saviour, for thou has us sought!406
Hail, fair food and flower, that all thing has wrought.
Hail, full of favour, that made all of nought.
Hail! I kneel and I cower. A bird have I brought
to my bairn.
Hail, little tiny mop!
Of our creed thou art crop.412
I would drink of thy cup,
little day star.
Hail, darling dear, full of Godhead!415
I pray thee, be near when that I have need.
Hail, sweet is thy cheer! My heart would bleed
to see thee sit here in so poor weed,
with no pennies.
To thy hand so small
I bring thee but a ball:421
have and play thee withal,
and go to the tennis.
God omnipotent,
His Son has he sent.
And now is he born.
He keep you from woe;
I shall pray him so.
He that all mights may, the maker of heaven,430
that is for to say, my son that I name,
reward you this day, as he set all on seven.
He grant you for ay his bliss full even
continuing.
He give you good grace!
Tell forth of this case.436
He speed your pace,
and grant you good ending.
FinisContents
2023 Sep 25 18:46:07